GAVIN’S STANCE GREAT THEATRE
‘ ALL- IN’ press conferences can sometimes be mundane. Some players go through the motions, disclosing as little as possible before rushing away from the cameras. Not Gavin Cooper. On Monday he was asked how he felt Matt Scott went in his first game back from an ACL injury against the Sharks last week.
“I think there was a few little dirty tactics, a couple of guys twisting his leg and stuff like that that the refs missed,” Cooper said.
“There was a couple of things I saw that the refs missed. Hopefully we stamp that out of the game.
“There’s a lot of feeling in our Sharks games, Sharks- Cowboys there’s always a lot of feeling. There’s always going to be something along the lines that people miss.
“We have to be better at blocking it out and moving forward.”
And another chapter was written on a rivalry that is fast turning into an all- out feud.
From the seventh- tackle furore in the 2013 semis to the fact they’ve knocked each other out of the competition the past three Septembers, it continues to bubble away.
The rematch in round 23 at Cronulla can’t come soon enough.
I was at Allianz Stadium last year, when the Cowboys won in golden point in week one of the finals.
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan stormed into the post match press conference, steam rushing out of his ears, armed with a list of refereeing grievances.
He read them out one by one to a captivated media pack, and the club was eventually fined heavily for criticising match officials.
Players and coaches can be wary of taking aim at the opposition for fear of giving them fuel, added motivation they can pin up on the dressing room wall.
But rugby league thrives on drama, the rivalries, the combat. A bit of theatre during the week only adds to the narrative.
The players have campaigned for more money in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, adamant they now have a vested interest in promoting the game.
Cooper, always a lock for a wise crack and a quote, did his bit by making a regulation early week press conference much more interesting than expected.
It may have pissed off the Sharks, Flanagan especially, but the fans love a bit of niggle.
The Cowboys- Broncos rivalry, the latest chapter of which was written last night, is completely different.
The fixture has been arguably the most anticipated in the NRL after a series of epic and close matches against each other. The 2015 grand final, where the Cowboys won their first premiership in extra time, is arguably the greatest of all time.
Before these matches both teams continually speak of the respect they have for each other, that the attractive style of play and the spirit in which they unfold is the basis behind the rivalry’s greatness.
With the Sharks and Cowboys there’s certainly respect for their winning cultures, but a genuine dislike also simmers away.
You can bet Cooper’s comments, and the denials from Flanagan, Wade Graham and Paul Gallen, will be replayed and reprinted ad nauseam before round 23.
It will be one of the easiest weeks for a rugby league journalist based in Townsville and should ensure the atmosphere is electric at Shark Park.
Whether you believe Cooper’s grievances are spot on or not, everyone benefits when players speak their minds.
Fans love it as much as us media hacks, and it should be encouraged.
Like them or hate them, Flanagan and Sharks skipper Gallen generally speak their mind when asked a question, and that’s all we ask.